Method of and apparatus for forming condensed carbon black



June 21, 1938. w. A. KNAPP ET AL METHOD or AND APPARATUS FOR FORMINGCONDENSED CARBON BLACK Filed Feb. 26, 1956 GSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS n 1w. A. KNAPP ET AL I METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONDENSED CARBONBLJACIK 6 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1956 Dischargin SfationCompressing 5fa7/bn Charging SfaI/on lNVENT June 21, 1938. w. A. KNAPPET AL- METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING- CONDENSED CARBON BLACK FiledFeb. 26, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mm M Wh m m R Q 1 Q mm Mm g A? .QM hm MONINVENTOR j.

June 21, 1938- w. A. KNAPP ET AL 2,121,635

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONDENSED CARBON BLACK Filed Feb.26, 1936 v 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INYEINTORS i, H r

June 21, 1938. w. A. KNAPP ET AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMINGCONDENSED CARBON BLACK 6 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Feb. 26, 1936 SEE WEE

June 21, 1938. w. A. KNAPP ET AL Filed Feb. 26, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTORS slow'lv open Patented June 21, 1938 METHOD OF AND APPATUS FQRFORM- ING CONDENSED H i I BLACK William A. pp and Warren W. Gregory,Monroe, La, assignors to Imperial Oil 8.; Gas Products Company,Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of West Virginia Application February 26,1936, Serial No. 65,852

8 Claims.

tools by particles blowing through the air. Heretofore, various attemptshave been made to condense or compact carbon black so that it will notrequire so much space for a given weight of the material.

Our invention has for its object, the provision of an improved methodand apparatus whereby the carbon black can be condensed and packaged forshipment in a simple and convenient manner either with or withoutemploying various binders that have heretofore been used.

By our invention, we find it possible to compress the carbon black to acompact mass wherein one pound of the material will be contained withinthirty cubic inches or less of space. Ordinarily. carbon black asremoved from burner or hothouse buildings or from various types of rforeign particles and to reduce it to a uniform pulverulent condition.These mechanical means may be-bolting, pulverizing, air-separating, orany other suitable means practiced in the art. At this stage, carbonblack occupies a. minimum of approximately 500 cubic inches, or as muchas a maximum of approximately 150!) cubic inches per pound, according tothe quality being manufactured. From here, the carbon black is receivedin receiving, or agitating bins, where it is, by means of suitablecontrivances, agitated or compacted and packed into paper bags. At thispoint, the volume per pound of the carbon black may range between 100cubic inches and 400 cubic inches, according to the quality beingpacked.

Before describing in detail the operation of our invention, a summary ofthe sequences of operation is here outlined:

Pulverulent material, namely carbon black, is

fed into a compression unit until the desired quantity or weight ofmaterial is within the com-' pression unit.

This filled compression unit is then rotated or moved to a new positionwhere the carbon black is compressed within the compression unit. Thecompression unit is again rotated or moved to another new position wherethe compressed carbon black is discharged from the compression unit intoa suitable receptacle. This filled receptacle is then conveyed away to apredetermined and suitable receiving station. All of the operationsabove described are controlled and occur in their proper sequencewithout'manual aid.

Apparatus for practicing our invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 2 is a topplan view; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing a portion of theapparatus of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a sectional planview of the apparatus; Fig. 5 is a view taken on line VV of Fig. 3; Fig.6 is a view taken on line VIVI of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic viewshowing the control circuit of the electrical apparatus; Fig. 8 is adetail view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 91s a viewtaken on the line IXIX of Fig. 2; and Fig. 10 is a view taken on theline XX of Fig. 5.

Referring'more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the apparatusincludes a rotor foundation and seal plate III], which is mounted on andsupported by suitable framework i l. A pedestal bearing l2, Figs. 1 and3, is mounted on and supported by a cross beam iii of the structuralframework H.

The bearing 112 forms a pivot about which a rotor or table I3 is free torevolve within the limits permitted by the other parts of the apparatuslater described. Compression units or boxes I! are rigidly secured tothe table I3. being held in-position thereon by posts l5 which may bewelded to the table top, and to which flange collars it of the units Mare secured by means of bolts or screws. The lower ends of the boxes Hextend through the table plate and are flush with the lower sidethereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Within these boxes the carbonblack is compressed as hereinafter described.

The compression units are spaced uniformly on the rotor top near theouter periphery. The rotor is moved step-b'y-step, as hereinafterdescribed, to bring the compression units successively to the charging,compressing, and discharging stations, respectively (Fig. 2). The plateIII, on, which the rotor l3 moves, is pro-' vided with openings at thecharging and dissprocket chain drive 28.

charging stations through which the material is fed upwardly into thecompression units i4 and discharged downwardly therefrom. These openingsare of substantially the same cross-sectional contour and -dimension asthe interiors of the compression units.

Atthe charging station, a tubular conveyor conduit I1 is securelyfastened at its upper end to the seal plate It) and at its lower endsecurely fastened to a cross member I52, secured to uprights I53. Aconveyor screw 2| is positioned within the tube I1, and provided with ashaft 22.

The lower portion of the shaft has a screwthreaded connection with aworm gear wheel 24 which is driven by a worm mounted on a shaft 26 thatis driven from a motor 21, through a The worm gear and worm aresubstantially the same as that shown in Fig. 8, and the worm preventsrotation of the worm gear 24 except when the motor is operating. Thus,the gear wheel 24 is held against rotation and, therefore, serves as anut cooperating with the threaded shaft 22.-

A worm gear wheel 30, has a spline or key connection with shaft 22 andis driven from a variable speed motor 3|, through a sprocket chain drive32, a shaft 33, and worm 34. When the motor 3| is driven, the conveyorscrew 2| and its shaft 22 will be rotated, and as the shaft 22 rotatesin the threaded gear wheel 24, the shaft will be elevated and lift thescrew conveyor 2| bodily upward, while rotating, into the compressionunit i4, the motor 21 being thereafter operated, as hereinafterdescribed, to turn thetical conveyor conduit l1, through a horizontalconveyor conduit 35 within which a screw con-' veyor 36 operates. Thescrew conveyor 38 is driven by a sprocket chain drive 31 from the shaft33. It will be seen that the conveyor 2| and the conveyor 36 are rotatedat the same time by the same motor, and that their relative speeds areso proportioned. that the proper amount of carbon black is maintained inthe vertical charging; conduit IT at all times.

If desired, the conveyor 33 can be driven by a separate variable speedmotor.

The horizontal conveyor conduit 35 is supplied with carbon black from ahopper or a storage bin 38 into which the carbon black is fed or dumpedon its way from the burner buildings. in order to be able to more firmlycompact the carbon black, the material within the bin 38 can have amajor portion of the air removed by stirring or other manner ofagitation, orby a vacuum pipe 39, or by a combination of agitation andvacuum.

By supplying carbon black of known density from the bin 33, and bycontrolling the speed of the motor or motors which drive the conveyors2| and 36, carbon black in quantity of approximately a desired weightcan be fed into the tube l4 during a given period of time, or during onecycle of up and down travel of the conveyor 2|. In this manner, chargesor blocks of any desired uniform weight may be produced.

A piston 4| of any desired weight is slidable in each compression unitl4. At the beginning of each compression unit filling operation, thepiston 4| is in its lower-most position. With the motor 21 idle, so that.the worm wheel 24 is not rotated, carbon black is forcibly fed by theconveyor 36 through the conveyor pipe 35 into the vertical chargingconveyor pipe H and is advanced upwardly into the compression unit l4 bythe charging conveyor 2|. During this charging operation of the conveyor2|, the shaft 22 is rotated in the gear wheel 24, and the conveyor 2| isgradually raised into the compression unit l4.

The forcing of the carbon black against the piston 4| and the lifting ofthe conveyor 2| upwardly, both tend to compress the carbon black againstthe piston 4| and to lift the movable piston 4| upwardly within thecompression unit I4.

When piston 4| 'has been raised to some predetermined point, an arm 42carried by the lower end of the shaft 22 and sliding upwardly on acontrol rod 43, engages an adjustable stop 44 on said rod, whereupon therod 43 will be lifted to operate a mechanical toggle switch 45, which inturn, starts the motor 21 in operation. Now motor 21 turns threaded gearwheel 24 in such a direction and at such a speed-that the chargingconveyor 2| will gradually be lowered out of thecompression unit i4while it is still being actuated by motor 3| to force material into thecompression unit H to fill the void caused by the recession of theconveyor 2|. It will thus be seen that compacting of the carbon blackwithin the compression unit l4 and the continued filling the conveyor 2|is being raised into the compression unit, as shown in Fig. 3, and whileit is being lowered out of the compression unit, the degree ofcompression of the material being determined entirely by the weight ofthe piston 4|.

Filling the compression unit in this manner, we are able to compact thecarbon black within the compression unit with great uniformity. If theconveyor 2| and shaft 22 were not shiftable longitudinally along itsaxis, as above described, compacting of the carbon black within thecompression unit |4 would be greatest at the filling end, and, as thefilling progressed, the compacting would continue to increase and wouldoffer increasingly greater frictional resistance to filling of. thecompression unit.

It is further to be noted that by beginning filling operations, with thepiston 4| in the lowermost position in the compression unit, the carbonblack is accumulated in the compression unit in a more compact conditionwith less danger of air spaces or voids which would cause rupturing orspalling of the compressed carbon black block, than if the piston 4|were initially in .any other positionin the compression unit. Thisadvantage is of course present even in those cases where the carbonblack is neither agitated nor vacuumized or agitated and vacuumizedbefore entering the compression unit. However, either the agitating orvacuumizing or agitating and vacuumizing operations, of course, furtherreduces the amount of air that might be entrapped in the condensed bodyof carbon black.

The carbon black is preferably conveyed from the burner buildingsthrough an enclosed system aromas carbon black block will contract uponcooling and thus have a tendency to cause adherence of the particles inthe carbon black block, while, if cooler air is entrapped in thecompressed carbon black block, it will expandat higher tempera.-

will stop motor 3! and motor 2'! as hereinafter described.

By adjusting the stop 44 longitudinally of the rod 83, the extent towhich the screw 2i enters the chamber M on its upward movement can bevaried, because such stop will be engaged at an earlier or a laterperiod by the arm M to operate 'the switch 415, and start retractingmovement of the conveyor. The extent to which the tube It is filled canthus be variably controlled without changing the feeding speeds of theconveyor.

The weight of the control rod t3, and other similar control rodshereinafter referred to, is counter-balanced by a, shiftingover-counterbalance ll which holds the control rod 63 either in the upposition or the down position, when moved by the arm t2.

The charging or filling operations just above described is efiected eachtime that the rotor 03 is turned to bring an empty compression unit i iinto position above the charging conveyor tube ill.

The rotor i3 is given a step-by-step rotative movement to shift thecompression units, with their charge of carbon black, from the positionof one operation to that of another by means of a Geneva drivemechanism. A Geneva gear or slotted plate M is rigidly secured to therotor 53 by means of the rail arms 68a. A Geneva drive member or arm .49that carries a roller tooth 5!,1

cooperates with the Geneva gear '68, by rotatively bringing the rollertooth 5i into engagement with the slots in the gear member tit. Themember 3% i is provided with an arcuate locking portion 52 which engagesarcuate recesses in the gear plate i8 and prevents idle motion orrotation of the rotor iii. The element M is mounted on a shaft 53 thatis driven through beveled gears 5t from shaft 55. The shaft 55 carries asprocket wheel 56 which is driven bya chain 51! from a shaft 58 that isin turn'driven by a motor 5% through a sprocket drive ti.

One step of movement by the Geneva gear drive just referred to willbring a filled or charged compression unit it to the compressing stationwhere the partially compressed carbon black therein will be subjected tostill greater pressure. The compressing mechanism is shown moreclearlyin Fig. 6, wherein the piston M is acted upon by a screw or ram mthat has screw-threaded connection with a worm wheel 53 which is mountedbetween suitable bearings 6d.

The bearings E i are supported by cross beams 65 that are supported attheir ends by upright columns 66 and 66a of the structural framework ofthe machine. The worm wheel 63 is driven by a worm Bl mounted on theshaft of a motor 68. The motor 88 is automatically set in operation, ashereinafter described,each time that a compression unit it is placed inposition at the compression station. The motor 68, driving through worm61 and worm wheel 63 causes the ram 62 to descend and force the pistonti downwardly, thus, still further compressing the carbon black to anypressure desired.

Members I150 of the structural framework support the plate ill againstdeflection under the compressive pressure. When the ram 62 has reached apredetermined point in its downward or compressing stroke, an armsecured to the upper end of the screw 62 will engage a collar or stop Hwhich is adjustably mounted on a control rod 12 to operate a switch 13which reverses the cur rent through the motor 68 and causes the screw 62to be raised at a predetermined rate of speed. During raising movementof the screw, the arm 10 will engage an adjustable stop it causing thecontrol rod B2 to be lifted which in turn operates the switch 13 andstops the motor 68.

The rod i2 is counterbalanced by means. of a shifting weight 12a, tohold the rod in its actuated position. The stop collar M may be adjustedvertically on the rod H2 in order to variably control the degree ofpressure exerted on the carbon black by the screw 62.

To prevent rotation of the screw t2, it is nonrotatably connected to theam it which is provided with a roller 93 movable between vertical guideways 9%.

When the sequence of operations above referred to has been completed,the Geneva drive for the rotor iii operates and the rotor will be movedstill another step to bring the compression unit containng a fullycompressed charge of carbon black to the discharging station. Themechanism at the discharging station is shown more clearly in Fig. 5,and is substantially the same as the mechanism at the compressingstation. The discharging mechanism includes a threaded ejecting ram it,a worm wheel use, a worm 955, a motor it, an arm use, adjustable collarsi5! and ifiii, a control rod i59, and a suitable switch H. Thedischarging mechanism operates substantially in the same manner as doesthe compressing mechanism to force the piston ti downwardly and ejectthe body of the compressed carbon black from the compression unit it!through an opening in the plate it into a waiting receptacle.

A conveyor is provided to convey and place car,- tons, or any othersuitable receptacle, inposition to receive the ejected blocks of carbonblack and to carry the filled receptacles away at the proper time. Theconveyor comprises a chain @2 passing around an idler sprocket t3 and adriven sprocket to. The sprocket til is driven by a Geneva drivemechanism which operates in the same manner as the Geneva drive for thetable it.

The driving member of the Geneva gearing 85 is driven by the shaft 58 sothat the step-bystep movements of the conveyor will coincide, in theirproper phase relationship, with the stepby-step rotational movements ofthe rotor l3. At suitably spaced points on the conveyor chain, metalshells 86 are placed, the shells being secured to bracket members whosebottoms slide horizontally along angle guide rails M.

The metal shells 86 are provided at their upper edges with inclinedflanges be which, when the shell is lifted, will fit against thebevelled edge of the openingw in the plate it. Cartons of paper, or anyother suitable receptacles are placed within the metal shells 86. When acomton into sealing engagement at the flanges 88 with the plate I0, soas to receive a compressed block of carbon black.

This raising movement of the chain and the shell 86 is effected by a cam90 mounted on the shaft 55, acting against a push rod 9I which has asuitable head 92, that engages the chain and the underside of the shelland forces them upwardly. The guide rails 81 are provided with bars 96that overlie the ends of the bracket members 95 (Figs. and The bars 96are so spaced apart that the filled shell ahead of and the empty shellbehind the shell at the discharge station engage the same and areprevented thereby from raising or tilting when the intermediate shell atthe discharge station is lifted As soon as the compressed block ofcarbon black has been completely ejected from the compression unit I4into the receiving receptacle II2, the motor I6 will automatically bereversed to withdraw the ejecting ram I5 and the cam 90 will lower thechain 82 and the metal shell 86, and the conveyor actuated to move thefilled receptacle away from the discharging station. All this occurs inthe proper phase relationship with the movements of the rotor I3.

Each block 4| is provided at diagonally opposite, corners thereof with aflexible cable 91 that extends upwardly and over a pulley 90 secured-tothe top of the box I4 (Figs. t and 5).

The free end of the cable adjustably carries a weight sufficient tomaintain the cable taut and is provided with a spring 99 whichcooperates with a bracket9Ia mounted on the side of the box I4.

At-the discharging station, with the block 4I moved downwardly to ejectthe block of carbon black, the spring is compressed somewhat throughengagement with the bracket 91a. Upon retraction of the screw I5, thespring serves to raise the block 4| a. distance sumcient to clear theupper edge of the plate I0. Thus, if the block M is moved downwardlypast the upper edge of the plate I0, it is raised above such edge uponreversal of movement of the screw I5, so as to prevent damage to theapparatus when the table I3 is again moved.

It will be understood that the operations of filling, compressing, anddischarging are independent operations, which start practicallysimultaneously and finish independently, at their respective stations.

Referring now to Fig. 7, with the various switches in their positions asshown, the operator will close the switch I00, thereby energizing theslow-to-close type timing relay I 0| This relay operates and completesone point in the circuit of switch I02 which controls the circuit of themotor 59.

The table I3 carries cam buttons or knobs I03, equal in number to thenumber of boxes I4 on the table, that actuate a control switch I04.Through contacts I05 of switch I04 a circuit is completedfor aslow-to-open type relay I06. Also, --at contacts I01 a circuit iscompleted for the contactor switches I08, I09, and H0, respec-' tively,through the closed contacts III of the switch I06.-

The switches I08, I09, and H0 are thereby actuated, and through contactsH3, H4, and H5, respectively, complete locking circuits for theactuating coils of the respective switches. After the holding'circuitshave been completed, the relay I06 operates and opens the originalenergizing circuit for switches I08, I 09, and II 0 at contacts III, andthey cannot be reactuated until the table I3 has been indexed one stepand the contactor I04 actuated thereby, thus preventing recycling.

At switch I08, through contacts H6 and Ill, the circuit is completed forthe compression motor 68, and the compressor screw 62 is thereby loweredas heretofore described. Also, contacts I62 of switch I08 close andshunt out field resistance I63 of the motor 68. At switch I09, throughcontacts H8, H9, and I64, the motor I6 is energized with a full fieldand the screw I5 lowered. At switch IIO, through contacts I20 I2I, thecircuit for the motor 3| is completed, and the conveyor screws 2| and 36are actuated thereby, the screw 2I being lifted simultaneously asheretofore described.

At the compression station, when the ram 62 reaches a predeterminedpoint in its downward travel, the arm I0 engages the adjustable setcollar stop II which pulls the control rod I2 downwardly and operatesthe mechanical toggle switch I3 to close contacts I22 and I24. Thecircuit established through contacts I24 energizes relay I25 whichoperates to open a point in the holding circuit for contactor switchI08, and this switch returns to normal open position.

' Opening of the contactor closes contacts I6I to establish a point inthe circuit of the switch I02, and opens contacts I62, I I6, and III.Contacts I22 establish a circuit through the coil of contactor I23 whichoperates and reverses the motor 68 with a weakened shunt field due totheopening of contacts I62 of switch I08, and opens a point in the circuitof switch I02 at I65. The ram-62 is then moved upwardly until the arm I0engages adjustable set collar I4 which lifts the control rod I2 andoperates the switch I3, to

open contacts I22 and l24, thereby de-energizing switches I23 and I25 tostop the motor 68, preparatory a new cycle of operation.

At the discharging station, when the screw completes its loweringmovement, the switch 11 is operated to cause reversal of the motor I6 byenergizing contactor I50 and to cause de-energization of the switch I09,the screw thereby elevating and at its upward limit ,of movement openingthe switch I1 and thereby stopping the motor.

As to the control of the feed screw 2I, when the screw and its-shaft 22reaches its upward limit of movement, the switch 45 is actuated, and atcontacts I30 completes a circuit for the switch I3I, which energizes themotor 21. The motor 21 thereby causes the gear 24 to lower the screw Mas heretofore described. At contacts I32, the circuit of theslow-to-open relay I33 is opened. By the de-energization of this relay,a point in the circuit of the relay I34 is completed, but this relaydoes not energize owing to the fact that a point in its circuit isopened at contacts I35 of the switch 45. When the screw shaft 22 reachesits lowermost position, the switch 45 is reactuated in the oppositedirection, resulting in opening the circuit for the motor 21 at contactsI30, completing the circuit for the relay I33 at contacts I32, and alsocompleting a circuit for the relay I34 at the contact I35.

Since the relay I33 does not open for a short interval of time, therelay I34 is energized and opens the locking circuit for the switch H0,and this switch returns to normal position. Upon expiration of the timeinterval required to actuate the relay I33, the circuit for the relayI34 is opened, and it restores to normal position.

When each of the motors 68, I6, 3!, and TI have completed theirrespective cycles and are at rest, a series circuit is completed throughcontacts I6I, I65, I61, I60, and I69 of contactors I08, I23, I50, H0,and I00 respectively, and through the closed contacts of relay MI, andthrough the coil of the switch I02. The switch I02 closes and starts themotor 59 which rotates the rotor I3, and advances the conveyor, onestep. As soon as the rotor I3 moves from the position as shown in Fig.'7, the mechanical toggle switch I00 will pass off the cam I03 holdingit closed and the contacts I05 and I0! will open, thus deenergizingrelay I06 to close contacts III. The motor 59 continues to operate andturn the rotor I3 until switch I04 engages the succeeding cam whichcloses the switch I04. The switch I02 deenergizes when any point in itsseries energizing circuit is opened by operation of a contactor switch,and the motor 50 stops.

If the various switches, motors, and screws fail to operate properly forany reason, the switch I02 will not be energized to start the motor 50.Thus, by each advancing movement of the table I3, the switch I00 isactuated, to initiate a new cycle of operations.

The timing of the relay I06 is greater than the timing of the relay I33,so that the original energizing circuit for the switch II 0 ismaintained thereby until the relay I33 opens. Upon operation of therelay I33, the relay I30 de-energizes, and establishes the holdingcircuit for the relay III]. Thereafter, upon actuation of the switch (I5to start the motor 21!, as heretofore described, the relay I30 is notenergized to openthis holding circuit, because one point of the circuitis opened at contacts I35 of switch 45. The release of switch IIO byactuation of the relays I33 and I30 has been heretofore described.

Timing relay MI is a selective relay, which operates only once everytime the switch I00 is closed, and whose only purpose is to delayclosing the circuit for the contactor I02 until after any one of thecontactors I08, I09, H0, I23, and I50 have had an opportunity to operatefirst, thereby assuring a proper continuance or sequence of operation ofthe various motors when starting.

We claim as our invention:-

. 1. Apparatus for compacting pulverulent material, comprising a boxopen at its lower side, a wall-like abutment element within the box andmovable upwardly therein under the pressure of material against one sidethereof, a conveyor conduit positioned to discharge upwardly into saidbox, a screw conveyor in the said conduit, means for operating theconveyor for moving the material through said conduit, means for movingthe conveyor into said box in anaxial direction, means for withdrawingthe conveyor from thebox while operating the same to feed material, intothe box, and means for removing the material from the box.

2. Apparatus for compacting pulverulent material, comprising a chamberhaving an opening in one end thereof, a wall-like abutment within thechamber and movable toward the other end thereof, under a predeterminedpressure of material, a feeding element movable into the open end of thechamber, means for withdrawing the said element during feeding ofmaterial thereby into the chamber, and means for removing the materialfrom the chamber.

3. Apparatus for compacting pulverulent material, comprising avertically disposed cylindrical chamber open at its lower end, awall-like abutment within the chamber and movable toward the other endthereof under a predetermined pressure of material, a tubular conveyorconduit positioned opposite to the open end of the said chamber, ofsimilar diameter and in axial alignment therewith, a screw conveyor insaid conduit, means for moving the conveyor into and out of the saidchamber, and means for removing the material from the chamber.

4. Apparatus for compacting pulverulent material comprising a chamberopen at its 'lower end and a conduit having a feed screw therein whichis movable upwardly into the chamber, means for rotating the feed screw,to feed material to the chamber, means for simultaneously moving thefeed screw into the chamber, means for positively withdrawing the feedscrew from said chamber during continued rotation of the screw and at apredetermined rate, and means for removing the material from thechamber.

5. Apparatus for charging and compacting pulverulent material comprisinga chamber open at its lower end, a vertical conveyor conduit having a,discharge outlet at its upper end, means operating in said conduit forforcing a stream of material therethrough and discharging the samethrough said outlet, means for moving said chamber into position toreceive the" discharged material through said lower end of the chamber,a weighted abutment slidable within said chamber from end-to-endthereof, and movable upwardly under the pressure of the material forcedinto the chamber therebeneath, and means for removing the material fromthe chamber.

6. The method of obtaining measured charges of pulverulent material suchas carbon black,

which comprises conveying the material in a loose condition upwardly ina stream, accumulating it in a chamber beneath a movable abutmenttherein, which recedes upwardly as the material accumulates,simultaneously subjecting the material in the chamber to theunrestricted weight of the abutment to compact it to a density sumcientonly to sustain the weight of the abutment, separating the material inthe chamber from the stream after the abutment has been raised to apredetermined position in the chamber, and removing the compactedmaterial from the chamber.

7. The method of obtaining measured charges of pulverulent material suchas carbon black, which comprises conveying the material upwardly in astream by feeding pressure applied to the material along the axis of thestream, discharging the material through an unrestricted passageway intoa chamber and against a movable abutment therein which recedes as thematerial accumulates therebeneath, subjecting the material in thechamber to the unrestricted weight of the abutment, to compact thematerial to a .density suificient only to sustain the weight of theabutment, separating the material in the chamber from said stream whenthe abutment reaches a predetermined position in the chamber, andremoving the compacted material from the chamber.

8. The method of forming compacted blocks of pulverulent material suchas carbon black, which comprises feeding the material upwardly into a,chamber and against a movable abutment therein, subjecting the materialto the unrestricted weight of the abutment to compact the material to adensity sumcient to sustain the weight of the abutment, feeding thematerial into the chamber until the abutmentis moved upwardly to apredetermined position in the chamber, thereby forming a. charge ofsubstantially predetermined density and quantity, thereafter subjectingthe charge of material in the chamber to an additional compressive forceindependently of the feeding operation, to reduce the charge iso-acompacted blockof predetermined volume, and then discharging thecompacted block into a container.

